Labor
Restaurants can’t find workers even amid historic unemployment
The Orange County Register 8/27
Not enough teenagers are applying, says one franchise owner with 500 restaurants.
Dangers of third coronavirus surge in California focus on young people, essential workers
Los Angeles Times 8/28
Even as California finally begins to see declines in both COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations, health officials and experts are preparing for a potential third surge of coronavirus cases fueled by two groups that already have been hit hard: low-wage essential workers and young people.
Workers and customers are catching COVID-19. Should businesses escape blame?
Los Angeles Times 8/27
Henry Ephriam landed in the hospital, terrified and suffering from chest pains, one of 125 workers at the Ralphs grocery chain’s Compton warehouse who were sickened with COVID-19.
Food Industry Policy
Castro and Hayes Valley Fully Close Streets, Trading Cars for Restaurant Seating
Eater, San Francisco 8/27
The neighborhoods join Valencia Street and Chinatown’s shutdown for socially-distant cafes and street fair vibes.
On the Side
Study: Sales at San Francisco Restaurants Have Dropped By 91 Percent
Eater, San Francisco 8/27
It’s tough to get hard numbers on the pandemic’s impact on San Francisco’s restaurant industry. There are voluntary surveys of restaurateurs, of course, and data from delivery apps and review sites on how many spots seem to be taking orders (or not), and — in the case of the apps — for how much.
LA’s Battered Dining Scene Hopes for a Shot in the Arm With DineLA Restaurant Week
Eater, Los Angeles 8/27
Over 300 restaurants are participating in the semi-annual event to get diners out and eating again.
His Restaurant Was Poised for National Acclaim. Then COVID Arrived.
Grub Street 8/27
Since it opened in late 2016, Please has been a point of fascination in Cincinnati, where the intimate, creative restaurant is based.
The heart of SF Japantown is doing what it has to do to survive
SF Gate 8/27
Japan Center, the cluster of malls that make up the heart of San Francisco’s Japantown, is home to dozens of restaurants, from intimate omakase spots to grab-and-go snack kiosks hawking mochi doughnuts and takoyaki.
Consumers’ desire to order directly from restaurants is a big opportunity
Restaurant Business 8/27
Most diners say they want to avoid ordering from third parties, but are restaurants doing enough to capture their business?
McDonald’s Joins $8.5 Million Project to Limit Greenhouse Gases
QSR Magazine 8/27
The Nature Conservancy, McDonald’s, Cargill, and Target are coming together to launch a new five-year, $8.5 million project aimed at working with Nebraska farmers to advance proven soil health practices to help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and help farmers adapt to climate change.
